Latest news with #HurricaneHarvey
E&E News
15-05-2025
- Climate
- E&E News
NWS offers employees new jobs in new locations
The Trump administration is trying to shuffle experienced National Weather Service employees into understaffed forecast offices after firings and early retirements left the agency with open jobs in regions that face high risk from weather and climate disasters. A memo sent to all NWS employees Tuesday offers transfers to fill 76 meteorology vacancies by the end of May, including in hurricane hot zones along the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts and in southernmost Florida, including Miami and Key West. The agency is seeking to fill an additional 79 positions in other areas, including information technology, physical scientists and technicians, according to two people who've seen other recently sent memos. Advertisement Among five meteorologist vacancies in Texas, two are in Houston, including a meteorologist in charge of its spaceflight meteorology group. Houston is also one of the lowest-lying major cities in the United States, where even moderate rainstorms can cause localized flooding. A large portion of the city was flooded by rain from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
New report reveals catastrophic toll of US hurricane disaster: 'The deadliest hurricane ... since Katrina'
NOAA's National Hurricane Center released its final report on the devastating Hurricane Helene, the deadliest hurricane in the contiguous U.S. of the past 20 years. What stands out among the alarming things reported in NOAA's final report on Helene is the number of lives lost during the destruction wrought by the historic hurricane. "Helene is responsible for at least 249 fatalities in the United States (including at least 175 direct deaths), making it the deadliest hurricane in the contiguous U.S. since Katrina in 2005," the report stated, per Watauga Democrat. Helene killed nearly as many people as 2012's Hurricane Sandy and 2017's Hurricane Harvey combined. The majority of the deaths from Helene, 94 out of 175, were the result of rainfall-induced flooding and the subsequent landslides and debris flows it caused. The storm's powerful winds caused a substantial number of deaths. "Helene's winds are responsible for 65 of the direct deaths — the most direct wind deaths from any tropical cyclone in the continental United States going back to at least 1963," according to the NOAA report. Most of those deaths, 61 out of 65, were caused by falling trees during the storm. North Carolina had the most direct deaths, with a total of 85, followed by 28 in Georgia and 26 in South Carolina. World Weather Attribution determined that our overheating planet was a key driver of the deadly impacts of Hurricane Helene. WWA researchers analyzed the impacts of the storm on inland and coastal regions. "In both regions, the rainfall was about 10% heavier due to climate change, and equivalently the rainfall totals over the 2-day and 3-day maxima were made about 40% and 70% more likely by climate change, respectively," the WWA report concluded. The report also noted our overheating planet made Helene's maximum wind speeds around 11% more intense. At least 2,700 people in the Southeast U.S. had to be rescued from the high water supercharged Helene brought to the region. The NOAA report concluded the storm caused an estimated nearly $80 billion in damage to the country. Helene now stands as the seventh-costliest U.S. hurricane after Katrina, Harvey, Ian, Maria, Sandy, and Ida. Using your voice to spread the word on how our warming world is making storms worse can help raise awareness about the devastating impacts of an overheating planet. It is important to learn about critical climate issues and then share that information by talking with our family and friends about them. Do you think your house could withstand a hurricane? No way Maybe a weak one I'm not sure It definitely could Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - America's disaster relief system is in dire need of repair
In the aftermath of every major disaster, Americans watch a familiar scene unfold, where communities are devastated, families displaced and survivors struggle to navigate a system that often feels like an obstacle course rather than a lifeline. As a former FEMA administrator and the CEO of a private disaster recovery service for survivors, we've seen firsthand the dedication of emergency managers who work tirelessly to help people rebuild. But we've also seen how the system, bound by bureaucratic constraints and outdated processes, too often fails to deliver support in the way that its leaders want to be able to, or that truly empowers survivors. The core problem isn't a lack of resources. In fact, the funding for essentials like housing, food and rebuilding already exists. But these resources are spread across a tangled web of federal, state and nonprofit programs that fail to work together efficiently. Survivors are left navigating multiple agencies, redundant paperwork and confusing eligibility requirements — all at a time when they need clarity and simplicity the most. Now, with President Trump's recent announcement of a new disaster resilience strategy, we have an opportunity to massively upgrade the system for the 21st century and the coming onslaught of disasters. If we embrace this shift wisely, we can streamline the system to ensure survivors get the help they need without unnecessary delays. Because the critical infrastructure of this country is not just roads and bridges; it's the resilience and strength of the American people and their ability to rebuild and bounce back. Disaster recovery in America has long been plagued by inefficiencies and misaligned incentives. While agencies may work with good intentions, the system itself is not designed for seamless coordination. Instead of a single, survivor-centric process, disaster victims must navigate a maze of bureaucracies, each with its own requirements, deadlines and limitations. At the same time, FEMA and state agencies have traditionally measured success by effort rather than outcomes. The old system was built at a time when tracking long-term recovery data wasn't feasible. But today, we have the technology to measure what really matters: whether survivors are actually recovering. What we see is clear — the current system isn't working as effectively as it can. Not only does this hurt individuals and families, it can undermine communities, setting them up for further catastrophic losses in future disasters. Consider Hurricane Harvey in 2017: a Government Accountability Office report found that only 8 percent of applicants received direct housing assistance from FEMA, while tens of thousands struggled to piece together aid from various agencies. The same patterns emerged after Hurricane Maria, where bureaucratic hurdles and delays left thousands of Puerto Ricans displaced for years. Survivors shouldn't have to waste time figuring out the system. If, as a country, we've prioritized helping those who get caught in these disasters — which we should! — then we should build a system that works for them and accomplishes our goals. Fixing this broken system requires a two-pronged approach: Investing in technology to streamline processes Right now, survivors must apply for assistance through multiple agencies, each with its own requirements, all the while juggling the complexities of insurance. By investing in modern technology and data-sharing systems, we can consolidate these processes, reducing redundancies and making it easier for survivors to access all available resources without jumping through unnecessary hoops. Providing case management from Day 1 Survivors need more than just access to resources — they need guidance in navigating them. States should be required and funded to embed case managers in shelters, recovery centers and impacted communities immediately after a disaster. These case managers would serve as a single point of contact, helping survivors access the full range of available aid without getting lost in bureaucracy. FEMA is made up of dedicated professionals who want to serve survivors. But the agency, and their state and local government partners, need the tools and structure to do it effectively. Reforming the system means ensuring that the resources already available are used effectively. Disaster survivors should never be political pawns. Yet time and again, we've seen recovery efforts mired in political fights, whether it's over funding allocations or bureaucratic turf wars. A survivor-first system would eliminate these debates by ensuring that response mechanisms are built for efficiency from the start. If states take greater ownership and FEMA shifts its focus to real recovery metrics, we can ensure survivors get help because they need it — not because it's politically expedient. Trump's resilience strategy presents an opportunity. But leadership, at both the state and federal levels, must make the right choices in how they implement it. Disaster recovery shouldn't be about checking boxes or closing cases. It should be about making sure the people who lost everything have the support they need to rebuild. If we get this right, we won't just fix FEMA — we'll finally create a system that truly puts survivors first. Pete Gaynor served as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency during President Trump's first term and as acting secretary of Homeland Security. Joel Wish is CEO of Bright Harbor, a leading disaster recovery organization that has been on the ground helping thousands of wildfire survivors in Los Angeles navigate FEMA aid, insurance claims and emergency housing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How much FEMA, HUD disaster funding has Texas received?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Amid uncertainties surrounding the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under President Donald Trump's administration, data collected by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace revealed Texas is one of the largest state-level recipients of federal disaster relief funds in the country. Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that relegates disaster preparation responsibilities to state and local governments, with calls to alter critical infrastructure policy 'to better reflect assessed risks,' per Reuters reporting. Historically, disaster recovery has operated in the U.S. based on a three-legged approach, with government funding sitting in tandem with insurance and private funding, the Carnegie Endowment noted. In the Carnegie Endowment's Disaster Dollar Database, Texas was the fourth-largest recipient of federal grants related to disaster recovery, with nearly $22 billion allocated to the Lone Star State between September 2003 and January 2005. Also in the top five were Louisiana, with nearly $47 billion, New York, with $28 billion, Florida, with nearly $28 billion, and Mississippi, with almost $11 billion. Federal grant funding for disaster recovery is divvied into three types: FEMA's Individuals and Households Program, FEMA's Public Assistance aid and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant for disaster recovery, per the Carnegie Endowment. Looking through Texas' largest disasters, Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was the state's costliest incident in terms of federal relief sustained. Relief dollars broke down into more than $1.6 billion for FEMA's Individuals and Households Program, nearly $3 billion for FEMA's Public Assistance and more than $5.7 billion for HUD's allocations. Other costly incidents in Texas included Hurricane Ike in 2008, Hurricane Dolly in 2008 and Hurricane Rita in 2005. More recently, last summer's Hurricane Beryl, alongside 2024 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding made the rankings, as well as the 2021 severe winter storm that rippled across Texas. The full dashboard is available for review online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
19-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Texas to Turf Moor - how JJ Watt got 'invested' in Burnley
Walking to the match with fans, lifting weights in the gym with the players, and soaking up the wisdom of the movers and shakers in the fair to say JJ Watt is living the full experience since buying into legendary NFL defensive end became the latest in a string of American personalities, from Wall Street to Hollywood, to take a stake in British football clubs when he and his wife, ex-United States international player Kealia, became minority investors in the Clarets in May then he has witnessed first-hand the angst of relegation from the Premier League and this season's resurgence under Scott Parker, with the Turf Moor club in contention for automatic promotion back to the top a wide-ranging interview with Radio 5 Live, the 35-year-old explains why he invested - in both the emotional and financial sense of the word - in the Lancashire club, and how he is bringing his experience as an elite sportsman to bear in the Championship title former Houston Texans star was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year in 2017 as much for his efforts in helping his adopted city recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and other philanthropic work, as for his achievements on the field of he is busy trying to translate that knowhow, community ethic and desire to succeed to a proud old club in a small Lancashire former mill town. Keeping the 'juices flowing' From Stan Kroenke to the Glazers, Todd Boehly to Shahid Khan, and Ryan Reynolds to Tom Brady, North American entrepreneurs and celebrities have been buying varying stakes in British football for some time what tempted Watt to sink some of the fortune he made from a stellar gridiron career into Burnley?"There's plenty of people with advice on what you're supposed to do and how you're supposed to do it, but I knew I would want to do something, especially towards the end of my career, to keep the competitive juices flowing," he said."So team ownership came into play there. I became really interested in English football back in 2011, and it started to become really appealing to me."I started poking around different teams, having conversations, and the path eventually led me here to Burnley."'All clubs in top four tiers could be US-owned'Burnley are one of a growing number of EFL and Premier League clubs with Stateside owners, having been taken over by businessman Alan Pace in 2020."You look at an American football [NFL] club - right now they're all valued at billions and billions of dollars," Watt added."You take my amount of money and put it into that and congratulations, you have one seat at a game, not at the board table, not at anything."You come over here and the valuations are different and there's more opportunity."I saw an opportunity to get involved at a level I wanted to be involved at, be in the board meetings, learn and grow, while also injecting something, bringing something to the club in terms of global notoriety, eyeballs to the game etc." Walking with the fans and weights with the players Not that Watt has restricted himself to boardroom-level involvement - he has also revelled in mixing with the fans... and showing the players who is boss in the gym."Another thing that brings you to English football is the history, tradition, passion and supporters," he said."It's why I'm so drawn to it and why I walked from the hotel to the match [Burnley v Luton Town] the other day, because I wanted to be with the people."When I watch these games and go to these matches with these supporters... I told our players last year they truly don't understand how they affect these people on a day-to-day basis."Watt also hopes his vast experience of performing at the top level of his sport can help a Burnley team which is now at the sharp end of a promising campaign."One thing I can definitively speak on more knowledgeably than [the board] is what it's like to be in a locker room, what it's like to be in a competition, what it's like to be at this part of the season, fighting for things," he added."Yesterday I was at the training ground most of the day, having breakfast with the players, in the locker room with the players, in the weight room with the players, just talking to them." As a 6ft 5in (1.96m) beast of a player, Watt is a formidable sight in the gym and, when asked about lifting weights with the Clarets players, he laughed: "Sometimes I just like to let them know."Credibility comes quickly when you have 400 pounds on the bar."I can sit down and have a conversation with a player, whether he's going through a rough stretch and I can talk to them about that."These are 22 or 23-year-old kids going through all this for the first time. I'm fortunate enough to have been through this before, so I can talk to them about how you mentally handle that."One chat with a player made headlines in America after Watt told goalkeeper James Trafford he would come out of retirement and play for the England Under-21 international's NFL favourites Cincinnati Bengals, if Trafford managed to extend his record-breaking run of 12 Championship clean sheets to the end of the promise came to nothing as Burnley conceded against Cardiff City earlier this month, but Watt said it had him worried for a while."It started to get picked up really big in America once he hit 12, and they put up a graphic that showed Manchester United had hit 14," Watt said."It was on every single show, so my wife came in and said, 'You're not serious about this are you?' and I said, 'If he does 24 matches in a row, that will truly be one of the greatest performances in the history of sport and I would be ridiculous not to honour my side of it.'"So I had been training slightly differently for about three weeks leading up to the goal, and I did take a day off after they [Cardiff] scored that goal." Looking to the future Watt is under no illusions that Burnley, even if they win promotion, will be in a scrap for survival next season, but that, and the dream of upsetting the odds as Leicester City did by winning the Premier League in 2016, simply fuels the reward of promotion and jeopardy of relegation, a mostly foreign concept in American sport, was part of the lure for Watt becoming involved with Burnley."When you know there is nothing bad that can happen if you finish last, it kind of dilutes the product," he said."When there is a literal consequence to winning and losing it makes a sport as close to the truest and most pure form that you can have."I'll never forget the stat on our first day [back] in the Premier League, when we played Manchester City and their three defenders cost more than the entire wage bill in the history of our club, since 1882. That doesn't happen in the NFL."Am I naive enough to think we can win the Premier League next year if we go up? No, I understand how all this works."Do we all dream of a Leicester-style run one day? Absolutely, but it's more in the little things, trying to make your club better on a day-by-day basis."
